American Thought Leaders - The Epoch Times

“Most of pop culture” has told young men that they “are responsible for all the world’s ills.” “A young man's obvious and, quite frankly, logical response to that is: Do you mean the civilization that hates me? Or the civilization that was too weak to protect me from the popular culture that hates me? Because either way, that's not an enticement.” As a result, young men are turning toward bad ideologies. What is the solution? “They want a noble mission,” says former Green Beret Nick Freitas, author of “The Manbook.” “They want to do difficult things, they want to do hard things.” 🔴 PREMIERE 9PM ET on @EpochTV: https://ept.ms/4fnK4V9

🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸Happy America 250!! As millions of visitors pour in for the World Cup, many are being struck by what they see: hospitality, optimism, and an incredible American spirit that’s been caricatured for far too long. Matt Mehan’s "The American Book of Fables" is a love letter to that spirit. It’s an ambitious attempt to recover our moral imagination through stories, paintings, history, and poetry. Mehan insists that patriotism is beyond shallow emotion. It’s rooted in gratitude, in shared memory, and in the habits of civic friendship that make self-government possible in the first place. He argues that if Americans lose that, we lose something essential about who we are. There is perhaps no better time than America’s semiquincentennial to reflect on the laws, the beauty, the people, and the principles which gave rise to this great nation. Happy Independence Day, America! 🔴 PREMIERE 5PM ET on @EpochTV: https://youtu.be/r3m6w4UIpvI

“I suspect some people put the World Cup here as a way to try to dilute our 250th anniversary with a kind of more international cosmopolitanism.” “I think insofar as anyone intended that, it’s totally backfired.” “It’s been actually a very stirring patriotic moment.” Matt Mehan says the World Cup has reminded the world what makes America different. He says visitors are experiencing the warmth and hospitality of the American people firsthand. “We are the first country since the Roman Republic that our word for stranger is a positive word.” “Stranger is a friendly word in this country.” “Seeing yourself as others see you is a huge gift.” “That's what we're getting from the World Cup.” I sat down with @MTMehan to discuss his new book, “The American Book of Fables,” and what makes the American experiment unique. We also talked about how the World Cup has become an unexpected reminder of America’s character, hospitality, and national identity. Watch the full conversation here:youtu.be/r3m6w4UIpvI

Rob Henderson explains how “luxury beliefs” have become the new status symbol for elites. And why he says ordinary Americans are often the ones who pay the price. “Luxury beliefs are ideas and opinions that confer status on the affluent and the credentialed.” “While inflicting costs on the less fortunate members of society.” “A core feature of a luxury belief is that the believer is sheltered from the consequences.” “Historically, elites exhibited their status with luxury goods.” “Now… cultural elites exhibit their status through luxury beliefs instead of luxury goods.” “These beliefs signal what kind of family you grew up in.” “What kind of college you went to.” “What kind of job you have.” “The amount of cultural capital you possess.” https://rumble.com/v7c5ui4-why-do-our-elites-push-ideas-they-dont-live-by-themselves-rob-henderson.html

Why do many of our credentialed elite live one way while preaching something totally different? That’s what Rob Henderson wanted to understand when he got to Yale University and saw the well-to-do students at Yale—most of whom grew up in stable, two-parent homes that valued hard work and crime-free, drug-free lifestyles—pushing ideas like dismantling marriage, decriminalizing drugs, emptying prisons, and abolishing police. Unlike most of his fellow students, Henderson had grown up in poverty, never met his father, moved from foster home to foster home, and saw addiction, instability, and family breakdown all around him. And that’s how he came to develop his now famous concept of luxury beliefs: “Luxury beliefs are ideas and opinions that confer status on the affluent… while inflicting costs on the less fortunate members of society.” It’s the new way to signal elite social status—by denigrating the very values that made them successful. 🔴 PREMIERE 9PM ET on @EpochTV: https://ept.ms/4paWT8D

A sobering reality check from Timothy Goeglein: “But what is the chasm? The chasm is they’re looking for marriageable men.” Women — across political lines — want marriage and children, but are seeking reliable economic partners and excellent fathers. Yet: • 15% of American men say they have no friends • Men account for 3 out of 4 suicides and drug overdoses Goeglein feels honor-bound to restore the American male — because strong men are essential to restoring strong families. Watch the full interview with Timothy Goeglein 👇 https://theepochtim.es/0jaia3

Just landed back in DC for America 250… but my mind is still blown from what I uncovered in Taiwan. Next week at FreedomFest in Las Vegas I’m dropping major new revelations on the CCP’s killed-to-order organ harvesting system — details I learned on the ground in Taipei. I'll be speaking July 10th at 10AM. I'd love to see you there. If you’re coming, don’t wait—ticket prices are jumping tomorrow. Use special code EPOCH100 for $100 off. Our award-winning mini-doc “The Newlyweds” (about two octogenarian lovebirds) also premieres at FreedomFest's Anthem Film Festival. See you in Vegas Tickets: http://FreedomFest.com (CODE: EPOCH100 for $100 off)

Matt Ridley says a senior scientist in the UK told him we should never find out whether COVID came from a lab because it would hurt relations with China. “I spoke to a very senior scientist in the UK.” “He said, ‘It’s very important we never find out.’” “I said, ‘Why?’” “He said, ‘Because it would disrupt relations with China. You’re probably right, it probably did come out of a lab, but it’s better we don’t find out.’” “I said, ‘Would you say that about a plane crash… Every plane crash, the lessons from it are shared with everybody… Why don’t we have that in this case?’”

“We can’t move on, 20 million people are dead.” Matt Ridley says most people just want to move on from COVID. But if we want to stop it from happening again, we can’t. “It’s a gigantic scandal.” “Most of the world wants to say, ‘Well, yeah, probably a lab leak, but move on.’” “A technology has just demonstrated to every terrorist on the planet that this is a really good way of bringing the world economy to its knees.” “This is not an academic exercise where we want to know why people died.” “This is something where we need to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

In her final days as Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard released documents that revealed a concerted cover-up of the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic. U.S. intelligence agencies had strong evidence pointing to a Wuhan lab leak yet they kept it under wraps after being briefed by Anthony Fauci, and the CIA abruptly changed its assessment of the origins of the virus. “Most of the world wants to say, ‘It probably was a lab leak, but move on.’ We can’t move on. 20 million people are dead,” says Matt Ridley, the co-author of “Viral.” “It's a gigantic scandal.” “It's quite extraordinary that China has been allowed to get away with revealing almost nothing about what went on in that laboratory, and…the world has said, oh fine, let's go on having scientific collaborations with you.” 🔴 PREMIERE 5PM ET on @EpochTV: https://youtu.be/WQzhZ0cRFRc

A Harvard neurosurgeon spent 15 years studying and understanding the brain—every mechanism, every process. Then he died clinically and experienced something his entire career told him wasn't possible. A 19-year-old died on an operating table and watched his own life play out—but he saw the scene from the perspective of everyone else around him, instead of his own. A woman, after four years of battling cancer, finally decided to give up. She slipped into a coma, and her organs began shutting down. But what happened next defies explanation. And she lived to tell the tale. These are three individuals featured in a new Epoch Times documentary "Final Hours." I’ll let you all come to your own conclusion. The full documentary "Final Hours" will premiere TODAY at 6PM ET. https://www.theepochtimes.com/epochtv/final-hours-is-death-really-the-end-6027582?utm_source=youtube&utm_campaign=06-17&utm_medium=AmericanThoughtLeaders

Taiwan is at the center of the global AI supply chain. Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim says Taiwan is not only partnering with the United States on AI, but increasingly building in America as well. “Taiwan is embedded in every layer of the AI and technology supply chain.” “Not only in the United States, but around the world.” “There is an overwhelming global demand for more.” “Taiwanese companies like TSMC are expanding their global presence to meet that growing global demand.” “They have considered the United States, and specifically Arizona, as a destination for rapid expansion.” “That has worked in the form of the largest ever foreign greenfield investments in the United States.” “We are not only partnering with the United States in technology and advancing AI.” “But we’re also building in America.” “And I think that will further deepen our partnership in so many ways.”

Taiwan Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim joined me to discuss the growing threat posed by the Chinese Communist Party and why it has not deterred Taiwan from strengthening its partnerships around the world. We also discussed Taiwan’s central role in the global AI supply chain and its growing investments in the United States. Click below for the full episode: https://youtu.be/nFVZ-QaFsEA

“Everything we’re doing today in strengthening Taiwan is to prevent an invasion.” Taiwan Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim says Taiwan is strengthening its defenses to deter aggression from the CCP and preserve peace. “We also share the belief that peace has to be sustained through strength.” “That’s from the painful lessons of history.” “To prevent any kinetic scenario from happening.” “The peace of Taiwan, the security and stability of this region, can be maintained.” https://rumble.com/v7bq0x8-exclusive-vice-president-hsiao-bi-khim-refuses-to-let-beijing-determine-tai.html

“We will not let Communist Party of China define who we are.” Taiwan Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim says threats and intimidation from the CCP will not stop Taiwan from defending its values and sovereignty. “These are tactics to intimidate, to threaten, and to prevent us from doing the work that we’re trying to do.” “We take it in stride.” “It will not stop us from doing what we need to do to protect our country.” “To defend Taiwan.” “To defend our values.” “To really work with other partners internationally to assert the shared interests.” “The shared interests in preserving the peace and stability of this region.” “The shared interest in working together to support prosperity.” Taiwan Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim joined me to discuss the growing pressure Taiwan faces from the Chinese Communist Party and why intimidation will not change Taiwan’s identity or values. Watch the full conversation here: https://ept.ms/4b5x9od

Enoch Wu just warned that one thing could trigger a global economic crisis worse than the Iran war, the Ukraine war, and Covid “combined.” “All those effects combined would pale in comparison to… a conflict in the Taiwan Strait.” “And it doesn’t even have to be all-out war.” “Even a blockade scenario would have tremendous consequences.” “More than half of global trade goes through the Indo-Pacific.” I just sat down with Enoch Wu to find out how Taiwan is preparing to resist Chinese aggression. But no matter how much Taiwan prepares, any Chinese military action would cause massive disruption to the global economy. Watch our full conversation below: https://youtu.be/GlOemDhZNtc https://rumble.com/v7bo8bq-enoch-wu-just-warned-that-one-thing-could-trigger-a-global-economic-crisis-.html

Taiwan’s Vice President just declared: “We will not let Communist Party of China define who we are.” Hsiao Bi Khim says the CCP is waging war on Taiwan on multiple fronts: “Cognitive warfare.” “Psychological warfare.” “Political warfare.” “Legal warfare.” This small island democracy the size of Maryland is standing defiant against the world’s largest totalitarian power. I sat down with Hsiao Bi Khim to ask: What happens in the case of a China invasion? I just sat down with Hsiao Bi Khim to discuss Taiwan’s struggle for freedom against the Chinese Communist Party. Stay tuned for our full interview. Tuesday June 23 at 5 PM EST: https://www.theepochtimes.com/epochtv/american-thought-leaders

Democracy doesn’t survive on autopilot. Enoch Wu says Taiwan’s future depends on continuing to invest in and strengthen its democratic institutions. “We can’t treat democracy like a heritage that’s just passed down.” “You can’t take it as a given.” “You have to continue to nurture it.” “You have to invest in it.” “You have to improve on it.” “And I think that’s also true around the world.” https://rumble.com/v7bm1g8-beijing-wants-to-wipe-taiwan-off-the-map.-this-man-is-making-sure-its-peopl.html

Enoch Wu says Taiwan is facing its biggest democratic challenge yet as the CCP works to isolate it from the rest of the world. “To the Chinese Communist Party, Taiwan has always been that obsession.” “China has been telling the rest of the world, ‘If you wanna do business with us, there are certain red lines that you can’t cross, and Taiwan is among them.’” “Every single son and daughter of Taiwan could feel that this democracy that our parents and generations before us had built for us was slowly getting chipped away.” “It became clear that not only was this fight for democracy and freedom not over yet.” “But we are now facing our biggest challenge.” “Once you see that, it’s very hard to unsee it.” https://rumble.com/v7blbw2-the-man-turning-ordinary-taiwanese-into-an-army-of-crisis-responders-enoch-.html

Enoch Wu just broke down how his nonprofit is mobilizing the Taiwanese citizenry in case of a Chinese invasion. “We train folks as young as 8 and as old as 92.” “We train them on emergency response, on trauma medicine, on search and rescue, on setting up redundant communication networks, on setting up shelters—these are all the skills that every community can and must do in a crisis.” “Our citizens not only are willing, but embrace the responsibility to look after ourselves.” “In a crisis, whether it's natural or man-made, you can't rely on a government.” In just a few years, the group has already trained tens of thousands of ordinary Taiwanese people in crisis response. 🔴 PREMIERE 5PM ET on @EpochTV: https://youtu.be/GlOemDhZNtc